Lady Flames Topped by Navy in Home Opener

LYNCHBURG, Va. – Coming off a season-opening win this past Sunday over Stetson, the Liberty Lady Flames looked to make it two in a row to start the 2013 season, Saturday against Navy. The contest was close early on, but the Midshipmen pulled away en route to the 15-7 victory.

With the loss, Liberty falls to 1-1, while Navy ups its record to 2-0 on the season.

Navy jumped out to an early 2-0 lead 1:12 into the contest, as Jasmine DePompeo and Kathy Young each scored unassisted goals.

Liberty answered with just over five minutes gone in the opening half. Kallie Britton converted on a free-position attempt to cut the Midshipmen's lead in half, 2-1. It was the third goal of the year for the freshman, Britton.

Just over a minute later, Navy's Aimee Gennaro scored on an assist from DePompeo to increase the Mids' lead to 3-1.

After a Navy turnover, the Lady Flames' Nina Dunay fired home her third goal of the season to once again pull Liberty within one at 3-2 with 17:40 left in the first half.

The Mids tallied the game's next three goals, as the contest neared the midway point of the opening stanza. Gennaro scored two more goals and Loren Generi chipped in her first tally of the game during the run to increase Navy's lead to 6-2.

After Generi's goal, both teams were held scoreless until Liberty's Morgan Becker scored on a free-position attempt to cut Navy's lead to three at 6-3. Becker's fourth goal of the season came with 7:34 showing on the first half clock.

The Midshipmen once again reeled off three consecutive goals to up their lead to 9-3 with just over two minutes remaining in the half.

With 1:46 left in the opening stanza, Liberty's Jen Freymond assisted on Sam Struss' third goal of the season to trim the Lady Flames' deficit to five, 9-4, heading into the break.

Liberty tallied the first goal of the second half. Dunay fired a shot into the back of the net off of a free-position opportunity. Dunay's fourth goal of the year brought the Lady Flames within four.

The Midshipmen responded with a pair of goals in less than a minute apart, beginning with a score by Jill Coughlin at the 26:07 mark of the second half. DePompeo added her third goal of the afternoon 56 seconds later to increase Navy's advantage to 11-5.

Liberty recorded the contest's next goal, as Freymond received a pass from Struss and fired the ball into the back of the net to make the score, 11-6, in favor of Navy.

In the final 14:30 of the game, the Midshipmen outscored the Lady Flames 4-1. Becker tallied her second goal of the day with just under 11 minutes on the clock, but it would not to be enough, as Navy went on to earn the 15-7 victory.

For the contest, Navy outshot Liberty, 36-21, and held the slight edge in ground balls, 17-15. The Midshipmen controlled 13 draws to the Lady Flames 11 and turned the ball over 14 times to Liberty's 19.

Liberty converted on 4 of 9 free-position attempts, while only surrendering two goals on 13 attempts by the Mids.

Lady Flames' goalie Kristen Masullo recorded 13 saves, while a trio of goalies for Navy combined for five stops.

Liberty will host its second consecutive Patriot League opponent on Feb. 24, when the Lady Flames welcome Lafayette to Lynchburg. The match-up with the Leopards is slated to begin at 2:00 p.m.